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(NOTE: Alislam Team takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication
in this
Synopsis of the Friday Sermon)

Importance of Prayers (Salat)

Huzuraba delivered his sermon from the new Mosque
at Birmingham, U.K. After the Sura Fatiha, Huzuraba recited verse 42 of Sura
Al-Hajj. The translation is:

Those who, if we establish them in the earth, will observe Prayer and pay
the Zakat and enjoin good and forbid evil. And with Allah rests the final issue
of all affairs.

Huzuraba stated that Alhamdolillah the scarifices of the members of Jama’at
Ahmadiyya in Birmingham have borne fruit and the Mosque in Birmingham is being
inaugurated today. Huzuraba presented a brief history of the Birmingham Jama’at
and the new Mosque. Huzuraba stated that the Jama’at started with only
5 people in 1960. In 1980 the first mission house was established. In 1994,
the Birmingham Council put this building on sale. The Jama’at contacted
the Council and in October of 1994 the building was acquired for the nominal
sum of 200 Pounds. This was a dilapidated school building but it was a Listed
Building in the Council records. The condition of the Council was that the
building would be maintained well. This 31,000 square foot building is built
on 1.7 acre land and the renovation cost was 1.6 million Pounds. A lot of the
expense was saved by volunteer work, otherwise the expense could have been
a lot more. May Allah reward the members of the Jama’at who volunteered
and also those who made the financial sacrifices. Aameen.

Huzuraba stated that those who made the sacrifices should remember that
the spirit with which they made the sacrifices should not be dulled. The object
of the struggle was to establish a place of worship that would help promote
the spirit of unity among the people. Huzuraba stated that the Ahmadis are
blessed that we recognized the Imam of the age and that Allah has united us
via the Khilafat and made us strong. We pray to Allah that He should keep on
blessing us in this manner and that He enables us to be thankful for His blessings
and that we should be enabled to make use of the Mosque as it should.

Huzuraba stated that in order to obtain the blessings of Allah, it is essential
to pay attention to the worship of Allah and to discharging our duties towards
our fellow beings and by spreading the good in the world. This is the subject
of the verse recited at the beginning where Allah says that when you are given
the power in the earth then your preferences should not change. You should
pay more attention to prayers so that you may be deserving of more blessings.
Also, your future generations should be such that would attract Allah’s
Blessings so that you may remain strong. The same subject has been stated in
verse 56 of Sura Al-Nur.

Huzuraba stated that if we are steadfast in out prayers and fill the mosque
with worshippers then Allah will bless us with many more such mosques. It is
also mentioned in the verse recited at the beginning that you will remain strong
as long as you keep paying the Zakat and making financial sacrifices and enjoining
good and forbidding evil. It is also mentioned that the end result is still
in the hands of Allah. Our task is to obey the instructions with pure intentions
and not merely for show.

Huzuraba mentioned that according to the Ameer Sahib of U.K., the Birmingham
mosque would be sufficient for the next 10 to 15 years. However, Huzuraba
said that if a large portion of the members of the Jama’at should start
coming to the mosque and if the Tabligh efforts should be re-doubled then the
mosque would become small.

Huzuraba stated that in order to obey the instruction in the verse recited
with respect to enjoining the good , we should make a pledge that from now
on we will live with each other with love and that the message of peace and
love will always be delivered form this mosque. Also, we should inculcate the
spirit of attachment to the mosque in our children. If we start to enjoin the
good at home then we will be successful at inviting others to good. Those who
want to transform others must transform themselves.

Huzuraba quoted a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Jabirra where the Holy Prophetsaw said that the distinguishing factor between a believer and a non-believer
is the non-performance of Salat. Huzuraba explained that according to this
Hadith, a believer is a person who is regular in the offering of his prayers.
Otherwise there is no difference between that person and a non-believer.

Huzuraba quoted other Ahadith and passages from the writings of the Promised
Messiahas to illustrate the importance of offering prayers regularly and with
due diligence.

In the end, Huzuraba enjoined us to pay special attention to offering our
prayers in congregation and in the manner that would make us deserving of Allah’s
Blessings. May Allah enable us to do so. Aameen.